It is 10 p.m. do you know where your Brand Reputation is?

Just got off the phone with a client. I had suggested a marketing company for them to investigate. They did, in a big way, on the Internet. And some of the stuff they saw turned them off, scared them a little. BUT – they have spoken to satisfied customers of this company AND have had “good” vibes when speaking to them.

Some of the comments out there were not great, and it made them question their decision. SO, is it important for us to know what is being said about us? I don’t know all the answers but one thing I strongly suggest is setting up GOOGLE alerts. You can put your name in and be alerted when the GOOGLE bots pick up your name out there. When i get an email I always click the link and read the post and thank the person for their comments.

I just read a great post on Mashable.com that offers 10 FREE tools for monitoring your online reputation. i am going to be trying some of them out and will report later. Please read the post, it is great.

Click here for the link.

The Times they are a Changing – are you?

Change is coming, are you ready? Change accompanied with hope and a great attitude can make such a difference.

A quote by James Allen, one of my favorites, says it best:

So what change do you want for 2009? sit back and think for a moment. Write down the top five areas that you want change in. Not, HOW, WHEN but WHAT!

Now sit back, close your eyes and think again. What tools, resources do you have now at your fingertips that you could use to accomplish these goals? Include people, systems, software, hardware then STOP. Don’t spend another penny until you use ONE more feature of some of the tools you now own to enhance your business.

DON’T REINVENT – IMPLEMENT!

Let me give you an example. A coaching client of mine is all frustrated and ready to spend TONS of money on new contact management software to run her business. I asked her what she has now. What she tells me is what she is hearing around the office. People are purchasing newer products and she thinks she needs them also. I told her to put away her credit card and we made a list. She has Outlook and ACT. We took time to organize her email, made up some more action plans in ACT and then realized she did need a lead management system – something to send out emails for her incubating leads.

She is right now looking at Brokershelper, and the expanded Point2product and RealPro Systems. BUT, she started with what she owns. And she has a Point2 account now, so that might be the answer.

What are you using for contact management and lead management?

But remember- use the tools that you already have available. If you started using one more feature on some of the tools you now own, you can enhance your business faster and definitely less expensively.

Video What products work for Listings? Part 3a of 3

Yesterday someone sent me a Dancing Blogger – a link to a video. And it MADE MY DAY. This gentleman was traveling and would go to a city, pick a song and do a dance in that city. I actually smiled, laughed and watched it THREE times. So what? I want people to do that to your listing videos.

So . . . I created two videos and am testing two products, Photostory and Animoto. Photostory is is a Microsoft product which is downloadable free off their website. What I like about photostory is that you can add photos, movement, text, music and VOICE. I believe selling starts when you, the listing agent can tell us what makes living in this home special. We can’t tell that from photos. Maybe if there were lots of great photo captions, maybe. Here is a sample:

I also created a video in Animoto. Lots of photos, music, but does it sell the listing? Tell me what you think.

Do Certfications help your Business?

Recently my friend asked me this question – Does any NAR designation really make us REALTORs more money? And more specifically, technology certifications?  I guess because it is NAR Certification Month, it was on her mind. She is a sales trainer for a real estate company here in Connecticut. And if I may add, a very good sales trainer. She was a top producer in her day and she brings that skill into the classroom. Because I train technology I was a little put off at first and then got to thinking. My good friend Rick Levin, a sales coach said to me recently – If you are just learning methodology over and over and never implementing, think about it. Make sure you are practicing and measuring results and then it is worth it.

After speaking with Jodi, my sales training friend, she wrote me this post which I have permission to put there.

Amy, the simple answer is NO. The only thing that makes us more money is getting in front of more potential clients and connecting with them, making appointments, signing contracts and going to closings. Do you need to get in front of them to do this? The Geeks would say no- the top agents would laugh and tell you to get in your car and meet them at the office, this is SALES.

Buying a HOUSE is the biggest investment most people ever make, it is worth $10.00 a gallon. What ever we need to ‘learn’ to do that better and more often we may need to take that class.

Time management is sometimes the best class a REATOR can take but I don’t think there is a designation for that! Sales technique training classes are the only classes I take and have ever taken : ) – I love sales. Technology is as necessary as food air and water in today’s world, but the agent has to decide that it is important to do – and since they don’t get paid to take classes many don’t see how important it is…and eventually, sooner rather than later- they will not be here any more.

I love being geeky and can do most anything that I need to do online, including the phone, my website, database, and blog, but… I see, the agents who don’t make it because they never got their arms around SALES and that is the name of this game.

My favorite Classes are taught by: Ralph Williams, Bottom Line University, Coach Ken Goodfellow – CKTV – Brian Buffini – Buffini Corp – Jeffrey Gittmore- The Little Red Book of Selling- and Floyd Wickman – there are others too – If you are really looking to take off in your career – I suggest concentrate on Sales Technique, focus every day on getting new clients and making appointments, make appointments, make appointments. If you are not doing that- google these guys and contact them and pay them what ever they want to help you get going, it is worth it!

And I might add, this was said with lots of PASSION and EMOTION.